- NHL.com: Red Wings coach Mike Babcock refutes reports that he’s close to signing a contract extension.
” Ken Holland and I, we talked before the year, we agreed that we wouldn’t do this during the year,” Babcock said. “Our team is going good, our team is playing good. I like the way we’re playing. We don’t need any distractions. We’ve had tons of people in this dressing room go through contracts when I’ve been here and it’s been no big deal. I’m happy here. I like the general manager. They treat me good. I don’t know what else I can tell you. But as far as negotiation between Mike Babcock and Ken Holland, there is none, OK? There isn’t.”
- Nick Cotsonika: Nothing imminent, but the Wings have made Babcock a multi-year offer that would make him the highest paid coach.
- Kristen Odland of the Calgary Herald: Flames GM Brad Treliving will continue with Brian Burke’s tradition of having an early Christmas roster freeze. The league runs a Dec. 19th to 27th roster freeze, and the Flames will use Dec. 12th to the 27th.
“It’s a policy he’s had,” Treliving. “I 100 per cent endorse it … we just don’t think players should be traded around Christmas.”
- Harvey Fialkov: Panthers GM Dale Tallon scouted the Blackhawks AHL affiliate on Wednesday. Rumors that he could be after Jeremy Morin.
- Murray Pam: Scouting the Kings and Senators: Sabres, Avalanche, Stars, Oilers, Maple Leafs and Canucks.
- Adam Kimelman: Scouting the Flyers and Devils: Jets (2), Hurricanes and Islanders.
- Darren Dreger: The Wild and Avalanche are frontrunners to get a Stadium Series game next year. Winnipeg will likely host the Heritage Classic. The Winter Classic is still up in the air.
- Andy Strickland: The Blues are just one of the teams looking to host a Winter Classic.
- Hope Smoke: Darren Dreger: “There’s still a relationship between Burke & Phaneuf. If Dion was ever on the trade market or if the Leafs hadn’t re-signed him, the Flames would have been a team that would have been at the top of the list when he hit the UFA market.””Burke still has a lot of faith in Dion as a leader & as a D in the NHL.””People want to say that Burke made Dion captain. That’s not true. It was Ron Wilson.” “Wilson, a week into his time in TO, went to Burke & said I know its difficult to name a new player captain, but Dion is our captain.”
- Hope Smoke: Darren Dreger: “Thought we’d be talking about Holland as an obvious trade piece or part of package that would bring in something else.””At least that was my thinking in the off-season & at the start of the year because Carlyle just had no trust & really didn’t have any use for Holland last season” “There was a difference of opinion between management & the head coach over whether Holland could be a fit” “He’s been given an opportunity & perhaps he’s matured with that opportunity””He’s developed confidence & you could see he’s more aggressive out there. That shows he’s settling into a full-time role in the NHL.””This is back and forth between a relatively young player & a head coach who knew this player back in Anaheim.””Ducks thought they knew what they had in Holland. Thought he would emerge as a 2 or 3 C in time there, but he ran out of time there”